The present disclosure relates generally to a formulation comprising a silicone polyester. The silicone polyester provides the formulation with an improved foaming property. The foaming formulations of the present disclosure are useful as cleansing formulations such as used in alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
According to the Center for Disease Control, proper cleansing can be one of the most effective steps taken to prevent the spread of diseases and infections. Specifically, proper bodily cleansing according to various sources requires not only using soap but also washing for a sufficiently long period of time in order to remove dirt and any microorganisms that may be present on the skin. For example, the Center for Disease Control has stated that effective cleansing should last at least 15 seconds.
As many consumers fail to effectively cleanse using soaps, alcohol-based sanitizing solutions capable of providing effective antimicrobial sanitation for hand or body cleansing purposes have been developed. Various forms of alcohol-based antimicrobial compositions are known in the art and have been used in the healthcare industry, food service industry, and private sector by individual consumers to provide a convenient means to control and prevent the spread of potentially harmful bacteria and other microorganisms. The alcohol-based antimicrobial compositions are typically utilized to cleanse the skin by destroying bacteria and other microorganisms present thereon, especially on the hands, arms, and face of the user.
In addition to the effective sanitizing, the use of alcohol-based antimicrobial compositions typically does not require subsequent drying of the skin, such as by means of wiping involved in the cleaning process using soap and water. That is, the relatively high alcohol content (e.g., greater than 60% by weight) in the compositions allows for fast and essentially complete evaporation of the liquid components of the composition from the skin.
Conventionally, these alcohol-based antimicrobial compositions further include viscosity increasing agents to prevent runoff and to increase residence time on the skin. Such products are known as alcohol gels. While longer residence time tends to enhance antimicrobial action, it also tends to magnify certain undesirable side effects. In particular, frequent use of alcohol gels may cause skin irritation and dryness. This can be a problem for health care professionals, child care providers, food service workers and others who use alcohol gels to disinfect or sanitize their hands multiple times in a day.
To counteract the drying and irritating effects of alcohol gels, foaming alcohol formulations including conventional ethoxylated silicones or conventional fluorinated compounds have been developed. However, these agents used to create the foam in the alcohol formulations may cause the formulations to have poor aesthetics and/or skin feel properties, as well as poor foam stability. In addition, conventional fluorinated compounds impose potential environmental and safety concerns.
Accordingly, there is a need for a foaming formulation that provides effective skin cleansing and sanitizing effects, while having good foam stability. It would further be advantageous if the foaming formulations provided improved aesthetic properties and foaming appearance, while maintaining high antimicrobial capacity.